Coming in a great design, the new Time Capsule's good looks can't make up for its lackluster set of features, unfortunately.

A lot of networking functions, such as Web filtering, DDNS, and Wi-Fi-protected setup, commonly found on many other routers, are missing. With the Time Capsule, you won't have very good control of which band--2.4GHz or 5GHz--you want the router to work in, either.

Its wireless performance was also a mixed bag. In our testing, the device had great 5GHz performance. Its 2.4GHz performance, on the other hand, could use some improvement.

The built-in hard drive of the Time Capsule is a very simple network storage solution, the sole function of which is to store files and share them with others; there are no other features, such as iTunes or Media servers. Its network storage performance was also lower than our expectations.

The Time Capsule could still make a nice device, even with all these shortcomings, if it didn't cost too much. At $500 (for the 1TB version--the 500GB version costs $300), I found it to be painfully expensive. For this much cash, you can find many alternative solutions that offer more storage and many more features.

About the author

CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
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